October Manifesto, Russian Oktyabrsky Manifest , (Oct. 30 [Oct. 17, Old Style], 1905), in Russian history, document issued by the emperor Nicholas II that in effect marked the end of unlimited autocracy in Russia and ushered in an era of constitutional monarchy. Threatened by the events of the Russian Revolution of 1905, Nicholas faced the choice of establishing a military dictatorship or granting a constitution. Although both the tsar and his advising minister Sergey Yulyevich, Count Witte, had reservations about the latter option, it was determined to be tactically the better choice. Nicholas thus issued the October Manifesto, which promised to guarantee civil liberties (e.g., freedom of speech, press, and assembly), to establish a broad franchise, and to create a legislative body (the Duma) whose members would be popularly elected and whose approval would be necessary before the enactment of any legislation.

The manifesto satisfied enough of the moderate participants in the revolution to weaken the forces against the government and allow the revolution to be crushed. Only then did the government formally fulfill the promises of the manifesto. On April 23, 1906, the Fundamental Laws, which were to serve as a constitution, were promulgated. The Duma that was created had two houses rather than one, however, and members of only one of them were to be popularly elected. Further, the Duma had only limited control over the budget and none at all over the executive branch of the government. In addition, the civil rights and suffrage rights granted by the Fundamental Laws were far more limited than those promised by the manifesto.

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...negotiations with the Japanese, recommended that the government yield to the demands of the liberals and create an elected legislative assembly. This the tsar reluctantly consented to do, in the manifesto of October 17 (October 30, New Style), 1905. It did not end the unrest, however. In a number of towns, armed bands of monarchists, known as Black Hundreds, organized pogroms against Jewish...

...reached a climax in October 1905. On October 17 (October 30, New Style), faced with a general strike, Emperor Nicholas II issued a manifesto that promised the country a legislative parliament. The October Manifesto in effect ended the autocratic system. The following year Russia was given a constitution. Elections took place to a representative body, the State Duma, which was empowered to...

At a political level, Witte, though he detested constitutionalism in any form, used his influence to persuade the Tsar to issue the “October Manifesto” of 1905, which promised to grant a measure of representative government. No less important was Witte’s role as prime minister in the new system of government, in organizing the repression of all the forces of disruption in the autumn...